


The Beatles Unreleased. Cleaning out my closet

by Erwinnitall



Category: The Beatles (Band)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:22:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24287308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erwinnitall/pseuds/Erwinnitall
Summary: In between Sergeant Peppers and the White Album the Beatles found time to record yet another album which they named 'the Unreleased' (because it was put in a vault and locked away until now). Today the review of the third song on the A-side; Cleaning out my Closet
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2
Collections: The Beatles





	The Beatles Unreleased. Cleaning out my closet

** Cleaning out my closet **

Lennon / McCartney

I’m cleaning out my closet

And you’re the first to go

I’m cleaning out my closet

I guess I told you so

I’m cleaning out my closet

The rules you set for me

The list is in the bin now

Goes on so endlessly

My mates were not invited

To anything we’d do

But I think I’ll keep them close now

And will get rid of you

I’m cleaning out my closet

The nightmares caused by you

The rules and regulations

What I’m supposed to do

I guess I’m just rebellious

But baby we are through

I’m cleaning out my closet

And will get rid of you

Chorus

I’m cleaning out my closet

I’ll burn it in the end

And do a dance around it

Until the summer ends

I guess you can come see me

So it gets through to you

I’m cleaning out my closet

Glad to be rid of you

I’m cleaning out my closet

Sure, you can bring your mum

I guess she is the reason 

To even more harm done

And if you bring your father

I’m sure he will dance too

I guess he will be jealous

That I am rid of you

Chorus to fade

_Ringo Star - lead vocal, drums, tambourine_

_Paul McCartney - bass guitar, acoustic guitar, tack piano_

[ ](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Q0d6FBcA14/Xr73boHXFkI/AAAAAAAAO-w/owVS8EL3rkMepB9fjI9uznSC2NIyQBHPgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screenshot%2B2020-05-15%2Bat%2B22.10.53.png)

And there it is. Ringo’s contribution to the album. Leave it up to John and Paul to write something that fits Ringo hand in glove. You could say it’s tailormade for him. The lyrics are drenched in wit, irony and typical British humor and that’s right up his alley. Leave it to him to deliver the lines in his own dreary, nasal tone; it just adds to the cheekiness of it all. With all that being said I think the tone of the song is somewhat remarkable. As far as I know this is the first time we see such a direct forward distancing in action; it's kind of a verbal attack on a past lover. We're used to the (silly?) lovesongs and even the ones where there is grieving over a breakup, but this is, as far as I know it for the Beatles, a new approach; good riddance, couldn't be happier to continue without you. Could this also be one of the reasons that the song went into the vault; that the Beatles felt that their audience wasn't quite ready to meet such a verbal aggressiveness in one of their songs? It's hard to say. I would like to think of the Beatles (especially John) as a group with a general work ethos off 'We don't give a **** about what the people think, we believe in it so let's do it anyway'. I guess we'll have to aim the question at the remaining ones if we truly want an answer to that question. And in the end it isn't that important after all. The song in itself is quality and, as I mentioned before, already one of my favourite Ringo tunes. 

Listening to the music it's very recognizable. You might expect, because of the 'tongue in cheek' lyrics, that it would be quite close to one of Ringo’s earlier contributions, Johnny Russel’s 'Act naturally' but I feel that it's actually much closer to his own 'Don't pass me by'. It's a 'simple' melody so to say. And that is in no way meant to be insulting. The structure of the music makes it a perfect carriage for the lyrics. They're meant to be delivered as a straight blow. Nothing fancy, no beating around the bush, no musical delights, harmonies, choirs and orchestras. Just Ringo and his message. Even the musicians on the song seem to be downsized to a maximum. From the Beatles it’s just Ringo and Paul at it with Paul tackling multiple instruments. And, as said before, the result is highly satisfying. How do you then rate a song like this, when you compare it to the rest of the album, or to the rest of the Beatles works? To be honest, I think you shouldn’t. Don’t compare it, don’t judge it. This adds to the wholeness of the record, it plays it part in building something magical. The Beatles themselves get that. Everybody should be in on it and put their own stamp on it. Only then is it an official Beatles product. They get it, you should too…

Gaelwin von Preder

Rolling Stone Magazine


End file.
